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OH, I CHAIR THIS MEETING OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH, AND I AM GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
WE HAVE, WELL, JUST ME HERE ON THE DIOCESE AND ATTENDING VIRTUALLY.
WE HAVE MAYOR ADLER, COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MEDICINE.
WE DID SHIFT THINGS AROUND A BIT.
I BELIEVE THAT WORD GOT TO ALL OF OUR PRESENTERS FOR TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE HOMELESSNESS BRIEFING, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE WHO ARE GOING TO NEED TO LEAVE PRETTY SOON.
[Approval of Minutes]
SO, UM, FIRST I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES, PLEASE.COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON MOVES APPROVAL.
IS THERE A SECOND MAYOR OR COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
IT ALL IN FAVOR SIGNAL BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND THAT'S UNANIMOUS ON THE DIOCESE WITH VICE-CHAIR FRONT IS OFF THE DYESS.
[4. Briefing and discussion on issues related to homelessness.]
SO LET'S MOVE INTO OUR HOMELESSNESS BRIEFING.NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S OUR PUBLIC HEALTH MEETING AND THE 9TH OF FEBRUARY, BUT IT'S ALSO DIANA GREY'S BIRTHDAY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPENDING THE MORNING OF YOUR BIRTHDAY HERE WITH US DIANA, AND WE HOPE YOU HAVE A VERY, VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU TODAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU OUT QUICKLY.
SO YOU GET TO GO ABOUT THE REST OF YOUR BIRTHDAY TEAR.
DO YOU MIND IF I, IF I ADD MY VOICE TO THE HAPPY ABSOLUTELY.
AND ANYBODY ON THE CALL SHOULD FEEL FREE TO SING? STEVE IS THE ONLY ONE HERE WITH A GOOD SINGING VOICE.
I DON'T WANT TO SUBJECT HER TO OUR SINK.
SO DIANA, JUST CONSIDER THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO EAT CAKE LATER TODAY IN, IN, IN YOUR NAME.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING A BIRTHDAY.
ACM HAYDEN HOWARD FOR OUTING ME PUBLICLY.
UH, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND BRING UP THE PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE THREE STAFF PRESENTATIONS THIS MORNING, UH, WITHIN THE HOMELESSNESS BRIEFING, AS WELL AS A BRIEFING FROM HOMEMADE, WHICH WILL FOLLOW THE, THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A DIFFERENT, UH, SLIDE DECK.
SO WE WERE LOOKING FOR, THERE WE GO.
AND I SHOULD HAVE, I SHOULD, I DID INDICATE THAT WE WOULD BE SHIFTING THINGS A BIT.
WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH OUR HOMELESSNESS BRIEFING, WHICH IS MS. GRAY SAID HAS A SEVERAL EMBEDDED PRESENTATIONS, INCLUDING THE ONE FROM HOMEMADE.
AND THEN AT ABOUT 10, 15, WE'LL MOVE INTO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MOUNTAIN.
MEN'S HEALTH CLINIC PRESENTATION.
SO ON MONDAY, UM, THE CHAIR, UH, LET US KNOW THAT WE'D LIKE A SUMMARY OF LAST WEEK'S COLD WEATHER, SHELTER ACTIVATION, UH, AND EMERGENCY ACTIVITIES.
AND SO FOR THAT PORTION OF THE BRIEFING, JANET PICHET FROM AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH WILL BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
I WILL JUST PREFACE THAT BY SAYING IT'S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF BUSINESS DAYS SINCE THAT TIME.
AND SO WE CONTINUE TO, UM, TO COLLATE DATA, ET CETERA.
UH, WE'LL HAVE INFORMATION AT A SUMMARY LEVEL FOR YOU AND CAN CERTAINLY, UH, TAKE BACK ANY QUESTIONS FOR, FOR FUTURE BRIEFINGS OR INFORMATION TRANSMITTED TO COUNSEL.
UH, I'LL THEN SPEAK TO A STATUS UPDATE ON THE HOUSING FOCUSED ENCAMPMENT ASSISTANCE LINK INITIATIVE, AND THEN ACACIA JOHNSON SMOTHERS, UH, WILL, UH, GIVE A BRIEFING ALSO VIRTUALLY ON THE SOCIAL SERVICES SOLICITATION SERIES THAT IS UPCOMING.
SO AT THIS, UH, AT THIS TIME, UH, DO WE HAVE JANET PICHETTE ON THE LINE? UH, YES, I'M, I'M ACTUALLY HERE.
I'M ON MY, I, I'M NOT DRIVING, BUT I'M IN MY CAR.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND ADVANCE THE SLIDE PLEASE.
AND WE CAN HEAR YOU JUST FINE.
SO FEEL FREE TO BEGIN AS SOON AS YOUR I'M GOING TO TURN MY VIDEO OFF JUST IN CASE IT'LL I DON'T KNOW IF MY VIDEO'S EVEN ON, BUT WE DON'T SEE ON THIS SCREEN.
I'M NOT SURE THAT YOUR VIDEO IS ON, BUT THE, WHAT IS ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW IS THE WINTER 20 21, 20 22 COLD WEATHER SHELTER ACTIVATION SLIDE WITH, WITH, UM, THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE COMPILED.
SO, UM, SO JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND, UH, WE, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, THE HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD, HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY ON SOME OF THESE ACTIVATIONS SET OF CURB.
WE HAD SEVEN ACTIVATIONS DURING JANUARY AT THE MOST RECENT EX ACTIVATION COVERED A FIVE-DAY PERIOD.
UM, BUT OUR AVERAGE CENSUS, AS FAR AS INTAKE AT EACH ONE OF THESE ACTIVATIONS HAS ROUGHLY BEEN ABOUT 88 INDIVIDUALS.
UH, THE MAJORITY, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ARE MALE WITH
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17%, UH, FEMALES.SO ON FOR, FOR THESE ACTIVATION PERIODS, WE HAD ONE SHELTER OPERATE WE'RE AN IN, UH, TWO OTHER OR THREE OTHER ACTIVATION.
YOU'VE HAD TWO SHELTERS OPERATING.
UM, SO IN THIS MOST RECENT COLD WEATHER EVENT, WE HAD ACTIVATED THE SHELTER STARTING IN ON WEDNESDAY, THE 2ND OF FEBRUARY.
AND IT CARRIED US THROUGH SUNDAY, UH, MOST RECENTLY, UH, THIS LAST SUNDAY.
AND WE SAW QUITE A FEW PEOPLE, UH, DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
UM, LET'S SEE, UH, IN ADDITION, UH, BECAUSE THE COLD WEATHER SNAP WE DID ALSO, WE HAVE OUR STANDING THREE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS THAT WE USE, UH, ON A TYPICAL BASIS.
WE, UH, KIMBERLY MCNEALY AT ALL, WHO MADE AVAILABLE FIVE ADDITIONAL RECREATION CENTERS, UH, THAT WOULD SERVE AS A COMMUNITY.
WHAT WE HAD TO TRY TO MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN COLD-WEATHER SHELTERING OPERATIONS AND COMMUNITY SHELTERS THAT WOULD SERVE AS A WARMING CENTER DURING THE DAY, BUT, UH, COULD, IT COULD ALSO SHELTER PEOPLE IN THE EVENINGS.
UM, SO THOSE FIVE ADDITIONAL SHELTERS CAME ONLINE ON THURSDAY AND, UH, OPERATED, UH, DURING THE 24 ON A 24 HOUR BASIS, UH, THREE SUNDAY WHEN WE BEGAN MOBILE, DEMOBILIZING THOSE OPERATIONS, UH, OUR CENSUS, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE ROUGHLY, UH, ON A NIGHTLY BASIS, UH, SERVED ABOUT 479 PEOPLE.
WELL, I GUESS IT'S FOR ALL OF IT ACROSS EIGHT SITES.
UM, AND WE DID HAVE, UM, SIX SHELTERS AT, AT OUR CAPACITY.
UM, SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES, UH, SO, UH, WAS FINDING STAFFING AS THE CASE FOR, UH, A LOT OF THINGS SLIGHTLY BECAUSE OF COVID.
BUT, UM, THE STAFFING DID INCLUDE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY OPERATION.
WE OPERATE OUT OF THE EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER, BUT IT WAS THE BULK OF STAFFING WAS, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS FROM PARKS AND RECREATION, UH, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, UM, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND, UM, UH, INTERVAL CARE, UH, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, WERE INVOLVED IN SUPPORTING THESE OPERATIONS.
IS THERE A NEXT SLIDE? UH, SO ONE THING THAT WE DID, UH, ACTUALLY PUT INTO PLACE THAT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL WAS WE WORKED WITH AUSTIN, UH, CAPITAL METRO, UH, TO PICK PEOPLE UP FROM THE EMBARKATION POINT AND DROP THEM OFF AT, UH, AT EACH ONE OF THE SHELTER LOCATIONS.
UH, THAT EMBARKATION POINT WAS AT ONE TEXAS CENTER AND WE WOULD OPEN IT EACH NIGHT, PROCESS PEOPLE AND, UM, UH, AND THEN TAKE THEM OVER TO THE SHELTER, UH, CAPITAL METRO DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, UH, WAIVED ANY KIND OF, UH, FARES SO THAT PEOPLE THERE WOULD BE NO BARRIER FOR PEOPLE GETTING TO THOSE, UH, OPERATIONS.
AND, UM, SO THAT WAS, UH, UH, PRETTY HANDY.
UM, AND AFTER THE EMBARKATION POINT WAS CLOSED, IF PEOPLE DID PRESENT, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY THAT NEEDED A SHELTERING, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS, UH, 3, 3, 1, 1 WOULD BE DISPATCHED AND EITHER A CAPITAL METRO OR THE, UH, APRN, WHICH IS THE, UM, IS AUSTIN DISASTER RELIEF NETWORK WOULD ACTUALLY PICK PEOPLE UP AND DROP THEM OFF AT THOSE SHELTER, THE SHELTER LOCATIONS THAT HAD AVAILABILITY OR CAPACITY.
UM, AND, UM, IF THE OTHER, THE OTHER ROUTE WAS, IF IT CAME IN THROUGH, UH, 9 1, 1, OR IF APD OR EMS IDENTIFIED PEOPLE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY REQUIRING SHELTERING, THEY WOULD DRAW, THEY WOULD PICK THEM UP AND TRANSPORT THEM TO THOSE FACILITIES AS WELL.
UM, SO ANYHOW, UH, THERE WERE QUITE A FEW, UH, EX EXTERNAL PARTNERS THAT HELPED, UH, PRESENT AND, UH, AND SHARE SOME OF THAT, UH, THE BURDEN OF, UH, GETTING FOLKS TO LOCATIONS AND THEY WORKED TIRELESSLY IN DOING SO.
AND WE ACTUALLY USED THIS PROCESS.
WE JUST TRANS TRANS KIND OF CHANGED IT UP A LITTLE BIT TO ADDRESS, UH, BOIL WATER, UH, DELIVERIES TO HOMEBOUND.
SO IT WAS A PROCESS THAT WE, UH, FOUND, WORKED VERY WELL.
UM, AS FAR AS FOOD AND WATER, UM, FRONT STEPS WAS ABLE TO, UH, PREPARE MEALS.
[00:10:01]
THERE WAS, I THINK THE FIRST FEW NIGHTS, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY HAD A BIG ORDER OF FOOD THAT WAS AVAILABLE FOR ANOTHER PURPOSE.AND THEN, UH, IT WAS GONNA, IT COULD ACTUALLY WAS DIVERTED OVER TO THE, UH, SHELTER LOCATIONS FOR YOU.
SO, UM, FOR INSTANCE, REALLY CAME THROUGH AND, AND PROVIDE A LOT OF MEALS, UH, FOR THOSE LOCATIONS.
UM, DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER OPTIONS FOR MEALS.
I THINK ONE THING THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL DURING THIS PROCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE COMMUNITY SHELTERS, IS WE HAD SHELTER POD KITS THAT WERE, UH, AVAILABLE AT, BASED ON SOME OF THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM HER, UH, WINTER STORM URI.
SO THESE PODS WERE DROPPED AT THE RECREATION CENTERS AND THEY HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF, UH, UH, MEALS THAT WERE READY TO EAT.
SO MRAS THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE FOOD.
AND THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF BUSINESSES WERE CLOSED AND, OR HAD LIMITED STAFF THAT COULD PREPARE FEED.
WE WERE, WE WERE, UH, WORKING, UM, TO FIND MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS, UH, FOR, TO PROVIDE FOOD DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.
UM, AND THEN WHEN THERE WAS THE BOIL WATER NOTICE, UH, CAME INTO EFFECT, WE ALSO WORKED WITH, UH, THE SHELTERS I'M, I THINK LOGIS FROM A LOGISTICS STANDPOINT, WE PLACED WATER ORDERS IN RIGHT AWAY, ACTUALLY BEFORE, UH, BEFORE, UH, THE BOIL WATER NOTICE WENT INTO EFFECT.
UH, WE HAD, UH, WATER ALREADY ONSITE FOR THOSE FOLKS, AS FAR AS COVID PROTOCOLS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ENCOURAGE PER, PER, UH, SO THROUGH DISTANCING AND MASKING ANY SHELTER LOCATIONS THAT MOST PEOPLE AT THE EMBARKATION POINT WERE SCREENED USING THE CDC SCREENING GUIDANCE.
AND IF THEY FAILED TO MEET THAT SCREEN, THEY WERE PROVIDED, UH, UH, COVID BRACKET ANDROGEN TEST, UH, TO DETERMINE IF THEY HAD COVID, IF THEY WERE POSITIVE, THEY WERE THEN TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE ISOLATION FACILITY, BUT WE ONLY HAD ACTUALLY ONE PERSON WHO MET, MET THE SYMPTOM CRITERIA AND HE WAS TESTED AND WAS POSITIVE AND WAS ULTIMATELY TRANSFERRED.
THE REST WERE NEGATIVE AND, AND COULD BE ADMITTED INTO THE FACILITY, BUT WE DID ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, MASKING ITS SOCIAL DISTANCING, UH, AND, UH, THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.
AND THEN, UH, AS FAR AS COMMUNICATIONS, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED WITH RPOS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD WORD OUT ON THE STREET.
I THINK ALSO WORKING, WE WORKED WITH NUMEROUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT AS WELL.
AND I'LL STOP THERE UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANOTHER SLIDE.
I DON'T THINK THERE IS COLLEAGUES.
WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS, IF, UH, LET'S SEE IF WE COULD PULL THAT DOWN, PULL THE PRESENTATION DOWN FOR JUST A MINUTE, PLEASE, SO THAT I CAN SEE MY COLLEAGUES ON THE SCREEN COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER.
I JUST WANT TO VERY QUICKLY SAY THANK YOU.
UH, I THINK THAT, UH, THE WORK WITH CAP METRO WAS, WAS DONE VERY QUICKLY AND Y'ALL'S WORK WAS DONE VERY QUICKLY TO, TO GET PEOPLE INTO SHELTER.
SO, UM, UM, I DON'T, UH, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON.
I'D LIKE TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUES SENTIMENTS.
I HAVE, I'VE RECEIVED SOME PHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE VERY, VERY IMPRESSED, BUT NOT EVEN JUST THE RAPID RESPONSE, BUT THE COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ISO FAT.
UM, I I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE EXTENDED CAPACITY.
THE LAST TIME WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT ICE EFFECT, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS LIMITED CAPACITY.
UM, I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE ARE FULLY PREPARED AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE WERE AT PRIOR TO AND WHAT WE'RE AT NOW.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE EXACT CENSUS WAS AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
UM, WE STILL HAVE A FAIRLY HIGH CENSUS RUNNING IN THE, IN THE ISOLATION FACILITIES.
UM, ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T QUITE WHAT IT WAS AT THE PEAK OF THE OMICRON SEARCH.
UH, BUT WE DID HAVE, UH, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS PRETTY FILLED UP WITH, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING COVID.
UM, I CAN GET YOU THOSE NUMBERS.
I DON'T HAVE THEM OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, BUT, UM, THE, THERE WAS CAPACITY AVAILABLE AT, AT THE ISOLATION PILL FACILITY.
WE JUST DIDN'T, UH, NEEDED, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS EXTENDED, UH, BEYOND THOSE WHO HAD COVID TO THOSE WHO BEYOND THOSE WHO HAD COVID.
I THINK MY COLLEAGUES AND I WOULD ALL APPRECIATE THIS NUMBER AS IF, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON, IF WE COULD JUST LEVEL SET, FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WERE, WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'RE HEADED, UM,
[00:15:02]
BE HAPPY TO GET FOR YOU.UM, AND I WANT TO ECHO THE, THANKS TO ALL THE STAFF WHO HELPED, HELPED PUT THIS PLAN INTO ACTION SO QUICKLY.
UM, MS. MICHELLE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN FOR THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY, UH, WHO YOU TALKED ABOUT STAFFING, AND YOU HAD A LIST OF THE DEPARTMENTS, HOW DO STAFF, HOW DOES STAFF GET ASSIGNED TO THIS, DO SOME VOLUNTEER? WHAT, WHAT IS THE BALANCE THERE? SO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S BEEN SOME OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES AS FAR AS IDENTIFYING STAFFING.
WE DO HAVE A SHELTER MANAGERS LIST, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS WE, I THINK, UH, HOMELAND SECURITY, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, FOR THE CAPILLARY SHELTER, HUB OPERATIONS, UH, TRAINS INDIVIDUALS WITHIN CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OUTSIDE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO, UH, SEE IF THEY CAN BE SHELTER MANAGERS FOR, UM, SHELTER, DIFFERENT SHELTERING OPERATIONS.
AND WE CONSIDER ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF HAZARDS, WHETHER IT BE FLOODING OR HURRICANE RESPONSE AND WHATNOT.
UM, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN A WHILE SINCE SOME OF THOSE LISTS HAVE BEEN UPDATED AND I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE FREQUENCY OF SHELTER TRAINING THAT'S OCCURRED, BUT, UM, I THINK, UH, CORPORATE HRD ACTUALLY WENT TO THOSE LISTS TO SEE IF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE WILLING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT SOME OF THE SHELTER OPERATIONS.
UM, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY, I, I JUST FELT VERY BAD LATE ONE EVENING WHEN WE WERE SITTING IN ESC, I CAN HEAR A DIRECTOR AND MAKE THE LA CALLING PEOPLE, ASKING THEM TO COME IN BECAUSE THEY WERE SIGNED TO WORK, BUT WE'RE NOT BEING ABLE TO DO SO.
SO, UH, IT, WE STILL HAVE STACKING STRUGGLES.
I THINK IT'S AMPLIFIED BY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE COVID HAPPENING AND I'M SURE PEOPLE ARE KIND OF AFRAID TO COME INTO WORK AND WORK, UH, TO WORK IN SUPPORT, UH, UM, OPERATIONS AT ALL.
SO, UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT ENDED UP BEING A LOT OF PARTS STAFF THAT CAME TO SUPPORT.
I THINK, UH, AGAIN, AUSTIN DISASTER RELIEF, NET WORK HAVE SOME, UH, VOLUNTEERS THAT SUPPORTED, AND THERE WERE OTHER STAFF FROM OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO WERE WILLING TO STEP IN AND SUPPORT THE OPERATION.
UH, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY NEED TO, UH, CONTINUE WORKING ON, UH, AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE TO, UH, SUPPORT THESE TYPES OF OPERATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I HAVE, UM, MANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ELEMENT AS WE, AS WE TALK ABOUT RESILIENCE AND RESILIENCE HUBS, I REALLY WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW IT, HOW IT WORKED, HOW THE STAFFING WORKED, WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP WAS WITH VOLUNTEERS, HOW WE'RE DOING TRAINING ACROSS OUR CITY ORGANIZATION, AS, AS NOTED IN VARIOUS AFTER ACTION REPORTS, WHO WOULD BE LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TODAY TO TALK ABOUT IT.
WHO WOULD BE THE RIGHT? IS THAT AN HRD DISCUSSION OR IS THAT A DISCUSSION WITH, UM, HE'S UM, OR I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF, UH, WORKING WITH HRD, UH, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, HRG AND, UM, UM, HE'S UM, YOU KNOW, CAUSE HE SOME WOULD BE PROVIDING THE TRAINING.
I GUESS IN TERMS OF GETTING ADDITIONAL, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO DIVE INTO ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ISSUE RIGHT NOW, WOULD YOU BE THE RIGHT PERSON TO FOLLOW UP WITH OR WOULD THAT BE HERE OR WOULD THAT BE, I'M HEADED OVER TO THE ESC AFTER THIS MEETING.
SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH JUAN AND, UM, AND UH, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND, AND, UH, MS. HAYES AS WELL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER MEDICINE, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE HOMEMADE PRESENTATION AND CLARITY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE SAID EOC KEY, SOME HRD, MOST OF THE POINT OF MY, UH, TOO MUCH TO THE POINT OF MY, MY VERY WISE PREDECESSOR.
WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SORRY FOR SPEAKING IN ACRONYMS. YES.
HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, IN OUR CORPORATE, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT IS WHO I WAS REFERRING TO.
COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THAT REMINDER COUNCIL MEMBER.
I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE SERVED WITH OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTERS.
DO WE KNOW HOW MANY RIDES WERE GIVEN OR HOW MANY REQUESTS CAME THROUGH THROUGH, ON ONE FOR A RIDE TO THE SHELTER OR ANY, UM, DATA ON CAP METRO AND HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY SERVED? UM, I CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
IT DID SLOW DOWN IN THE EVENING.
UM, LIKE I KNOW ON, ON SATURDAY NIGHT, I
[00:20:01]
KNOW THERE WERE 12 TRANSPORTS FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE OF THE HOUSE, BUT, UH, I CAN, I CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.I'D BE CURIOUS JUST TO SEE, UM, HOW PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS BEING UTILIZED AND IF WE NEED TO ADD ADDITIONAL RESOURCES SO THAT FOLKS KNOW IT, THOSE ARE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO GET TO THE SHELTERS OR TO GET TO ONE TEXAS CENTER.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WE'D LIKE TO ECHO, UH, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, WE WERE A LITTLE DELAYED IN GETTING INFORMATION OUT ABOUT, UM, OUR SHELTERS BEING ACTIVATED BECAUSE OF STAFFING NEEDS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD, UM, THE APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF STAFF AVAILABLE.
AND SO I'D ALSO BE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY AND HOW WE DO OUR COLD WEATHER, UH, STRATEGY, UH, OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTER STAFFING NEEDS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY MOVING ON TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DEPLOYMENT OF OUR FUNDING AND THAT PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE DONE BY KEISHA JOHNSON, SMOTHERS, WHO IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
SO, UH, CHEER, TOVAR, I BELIEVE IN THE SLIDE DECK, THE HEAL INITIATIVE IS NEXT.
WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE A KESHA, UH, GO AHEAD AND PRESENT.
WE'LL JUST NEED TO ADVANCE A SLIDE DECK, UH, TO THAT SECTION CHAIR.
DO WE HAVE A COPY OF DIANA'S SLIDE DECK? CAN ONE OF THE STAFF LET US KNOW? YES, WE DO.
UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS, I WILL HAVE TO LET YOU KNOW MAY OR WHEN IT WAS SENT OUT.
SO GO AHEAD AND ADVANCE THE SLIDE.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? ALL RIGHT.
MY NAME IS ACACIA JOHNSON SMOTHERS AND I'M THE COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCES UNIT MANAGER WITH ALSO PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS WHERE MONEY OUR MONEY IS BEING ALLOCATED ACROSS HOMELESS SERVICES, UM, IN THE COMING MONTHS.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS WORKING WITH A COUPLE OF DIVISIONS WITHIN AUSTIN.
PUBLIC HEALTH ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND IT'S OUR, UM, OUR HEALTH EQUITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AS WELL AS OUR HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISIONS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO, TO PRODUCE US SOLICITATION THAT WILL INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOTH THE INVESTING FOR RESULTS REPORT, AS WELL AS, UM, RESULTS THAT CAME OUT OF THE HOMELESS SUMMIT, UH, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OR SO AGO.
AND THE INTENT OF THAT IS THAT WE CAN PULL TOGETHER A SOLICITATION THAT PRODUCE AGREEMENTS THAT WILL BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE, THE RESULTS FROM THOSE TWO, THOSE TWO ENTITIES, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE PULLING THINGS FROM HUD, UM, FROM OUR LEADERSHIP COUNCIL WHERE THEY PULL IN LIVED EXPERIENCES.
UM, SO W IT'S IT'S A COMBINATION OF INFORMATION THAT WILL BE USED TO BUILD OUT THE SOLICITATION.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UH, ANOTHER STRATEGY THAT WE WILL USE IN THE SOLICITATION IS MULTIPLE FUNDING STRINGS WE'LL SUPPORT SERVICES THAT COMES OUT OF THIS SUBSTATION.
UM, THOSE BE IN GENERAL FUNDS FROM OUR CITY'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT ALSO REFERENCED AS OUR ACROSS SOMETIMES YOU'LL HEAR THAT OUR FEDERAL EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT, WHICH COMES FROM DIRECTLY FROM HUD, AS WELL AS STATE OF TEXAS FUNDING THROUGH OUR HOMELESS HOUSING AND SERVICE PROGRAM.
AND WHILE THAT'S THE ADVANCING, UM, THE GENERAL FUNDS IN IT, AS WELL AS OUR FEDERAL FUNDING, UM, FUNDS ARE COMING FROM CONTRACTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED FOR HOMELESS SERVICES.
AND BASED ON OUR, AS, AS OUR RECORD BY OUR STRATEGIC DIRECTION, UM, 20, 23, THIS WAS OUR YEAR TO SOLICIT RE SOLICIT ALL OF THOSE FUNDS.
SO IT JUST FALLS VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH, SINCE WE NOW HAVE ARPA FUNDS TO SUPPORT, UM, OUR EFFORTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, ALL THOSE CONTRACTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED BY HOMELESS SERVICES WILL BE RE RE SOLICITED IN THIS SOLICITATION.
UM, WE ARE APPROACHING THE SOLICITATION TO IT'S HUGE, IT'S A BIG, BIG COMPONENT WHERE WE'RE APPROACHING THIS VISITATION IN A PHASED APPROACH.
SO OUR FIRST PHASE FIRST CITATION WILL BE BAIT, WILL BE HOUSING STABILIZATION.
THAT PARTICULAR, UM, THIS PARTICULAR SOLICITATION ACTUALLY IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, UH, VRR APH COMPETITION'S WEBSITE.
[00:25:01]
IT BECAME OPENED UP ON JANUARY 31ST.SO WHAT IS HOLLY'S STABILIZATION? WE'RE SEEKING APPLICATIONS TO FOCUS ON RAPID REHOUSING, WHICH WILL BE A PERFORMANCE BASE, OUR PAY FOR PERFORMANCE BASED PILOT THAT WE'LL DO WITH THOSE CONTRACTS, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND OTHER SORT OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT INCLUDE HOUSING NAVIGATION, LANDLORD OUTREACH, AND INCENTIVES, AS WELL AS MOVING SUPPLIES.
THIS PARTICULAR PHASE IS, UM, APPROXIMATELY HAS AN APPROXIMATELY ABOUT A $53 MILLION INVESTMENT BETWEEN FEDERAL FUNDS, GENERAL FUNDS.
UM, AND WHEN, I MEAN, FEDERAL FUNDS ARE FOR FUNDS AS WELL AS OUR EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT FUNDS.
UM, OUR NEXT PHASE, OUR SECOND PHASE IS OUR CRISIS RESPONSE PHASE, WHICH IS PLANNED TO BE RELEASED IN THE END OF APRIL OF THIS YEAR, THAT PARTICULAR RESPONSE.
UM, SO THOSE CITATIONS WILL INCLUDE AN ASK FOR EPIC APPLICATIONS TO FOCUS ON EMERGENCY SHELTER, BRIDGE SHELTER, AND OUTREACH SERVICES.
AND THIS PARTICULAR SOLICITATION WILL ENCOMPASS GENERAL FUNDS AND STATE FUNDS.
OUR STATE FUNDS OF TEXAS FUNDS, AS WELL AS OUR FEDERAL ART PERFORMANCE NEXT LIE, AND OUR FINAL PHASE, OUR THIRD PHASE, UM, WE'LL BE REDUCING INFLOW AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES SET TO RELEASE AT THE END OF MAY OF THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, OUR APPLIQUE, WE'RE ASKING APPLICANTS TO FOCUS ON SERVICES SUCH AS, UM, PREVENTION SERVICES, MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE MISUSE, EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, BENEFIT ACCESS.
AND ONE THING THAT'S MISSING IS CAPACITY, UM, CAPACITY AS WELL AS CAPACITY BUILDING AND A SIDE NOTE TO CAPACITY BUILDING, EVEN THOUGH THE INTENT IS TO SOLICIT, DO A BIG SOLICITATION ON IN A THIRD SOLICIT.
THE THIRD PHASE, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT CAPACITY NEEDS ACROSS ALL SOLICITATIONS AND LOOKING TO SEE HOW WE CAN ADDRESS ACROSS THE SOLICITATION.
SO THAT IS DEFINITELY WITHIN OUR PLAN.
I THINK I SAID ONE LAST NOTE, ALL OF THESE CONTRACTS ARE THE START DATES WILL VARY SOMEWHAT MAY S ARE INTENDED TO START JULY 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
UM, MANY OF THEM, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT ARE FUNDED BY GENERAL FUNDS WILL START AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, OCTOBER 1ST.
UM, AND AS, AS WE SOLICIT, UM, ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT GENERAL FUND, WE'LL HAVE VERY START DATES.
UM, AND THEY, THEY, UM, I'M SORRY, IT WOULD BE BASED ON SPOT ON THE FUNDING THAT SUPPORTS THEM.
UM, AND THAT'S IT FROM MY PRESENTATION WITH QUESTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER MEDICINE, THING OF HIS MOTHER'S FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A BRIEF QUESTION ABOUT FROM THE CAPACITY BUILDING PERSPECTIVE, CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH A LITTLE BIT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT RESOURCES WE'RE LOOKING TO DEPLOY, WHAT ACTIVATIONS WERE LOOKING TO, UM, PUT ONLINE.
I, I'M GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO ANSWER IN TWO PARTS, I'LL START, AND THEN I'LL HAND IT OFF TO DIANA WHO'S IN PERSON.
UM, AS IT RELATES TO CAPACITY BUILDING, WE'RE GOING TO, FROM HOW I EXPLAIN IT IS WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH IT FROM DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
UM, W FROM THE, OUR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH PCS, UM, HELPING EQUITY, UH, HELPING ASIAN COMMUNITY HEALTH EQUITY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SIDE, UM, WE WILL, UM, W WE'VE ASKED, WE WILL ASK YOU A QUESTION IN THE APPLICATIONS.
SO THE CURRENT APPLICATION THAT'S OUT WILL BE A MINUTE TO ADD AT A CAPACITY QUESTION TO SEE WHERE THE NEEDS AGENCY SKILL THEMSELVES, WHETHER THEY FEEL THEY NEED ASSISTANCE, UM, AND LOOK INTO UTILIZING SOME CURRENT CAPACITY BUILDING CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY, UM, TO SUPPORT THOSE NEEDS ON FROM OUR SIDE, DIANA.
SO TWO PIECES I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT FIRST OF ALL, THIS WEEK, UH, THE HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION IN COOPERATION WITH ECHO IS HOSTING A SERIES OF LISTENING SESSIONS FOR OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE ORGANIZING THOSE AROUND THE TYPE OF SERVICES OFFERED, WHETHER THAT'S PERMANENT HOUSING OR CRISIS SERVICES.
WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIFIC BLACK AND BROWN LED ORGANIZATIONS, UH, AND EXPECT THAT THERE MAY BE MORE BUT GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE NEEDS ARE.
AND THAT IS ON TOP OF SOME, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WHAT WE INTEND TO DO AS WE ARE DEVELOPING THIS LARGEST SOLICITATION THAT WILL BE RELEASED THIS SUMMER, IS THAT IN A SHORTER TIMEFRAME, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE, UH, INNOVATION OFFICE TO DO WHAT WILL BE ESSENTIALLY A SMALL GRANTS
[00:30:01]
PROGRAM, UH, AND POTENTIALLY SORT OF CAPACITY BUILDING ACCELERATOR.SO WE DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS ON THAT.
THOSE WILL BE SMALLER SUMS TOTAL OF, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY AROUND $50,000 PER ORGANIZATION, BUT THE IDEA BEING LET'S DO SOME WORK IN THE SHORT TERM THAT IDENTIFIES KNOWN IMMEDIATE CAPACITY BUILDING NEEDS, THAT WE COULD GO AHEAD AND FUND, UH, EVEN IF SOMEONE IS NOT AT THAT MOMENT, APPLYING TO THE LAW THROUGH THE LARGER RFP.
SO LET ME JUST GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UH, OUR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS CAN BE A BARRIER.
THE COSTS OF HMES LICENSES FOR THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM CAN BE A BARRIER.
UH, WE'VE GOT A HUGE WAVE OF REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS COMING OUT.
MANY ORGANIZATIONS DON'T HAVE A DEDICATED GRANT WRITER, SO THEY MIGHT NEED A CONTRACT GRANT WRITER, OR THEY MAY NEED TO LOOK AT THEIR ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE COMPLIANT SO THAT WE VIEW AS OUR FIRST STEP TOWARD GETTING SOME FUNDING THAT'S QUITE FLEXIBLE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE FOLLOW ON OF THIS LARGER RFP COMING IN THE SUMMER THAT WE'LL BOTH, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND THE DOLLAR LIMIT WILL BE HIGHER.
YOU KNOW, IF AN ORGANIZATION CAN ESTABLISH THAT THEY NEED A HUNDRED THOUSAND $200,000 TO REALLY COME TO SCALE, THEN WE WOULD BE POSITIONED TO BE A PART OF THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY IMPORTANTLY, THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PART OF THE SUMMIT INVESTMENT PLAN.
THE CITY'S PORTION OF IT IS SUBSTANTIAL, BUT WE ARE ALSO INVITING, UM, PRIVATE FUNDERS TO THE TABLE TO HELP US BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OUR, OUR PARTNERS.
UM, MAYOR ADLER, I SAW ALSO HAD HIS HAND UP AND THEN A COUNCIL MEMBER, HIPPER MEDICINE.
DID YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP? I'M SORRY.
UM, THE ONE, UH, FOLLOW UP QUESTION, I WOULD HAVE IT, THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE TWO PARTS.
UM, THOSE ARE BOTH VERY HELPFUL.
THE ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS, AS WE ARE RECOGNIZING THAT SO MANY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE HAVING TO PIVOT AND RETOOL AND RETRAIN.
I JUST WONDER IF THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE.
I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT TODAY, BUT I'D LOVE TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION.
UH, JUST QUICK, QUICKLY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MAJOR CHALLENGES THAT OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS IS HAVING IS STAFFING.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE CREATIVE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE SORT OF ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS AND CAREER TRACKS THAT WE CAN CON YOU KNOW, COMPLETE TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE, THIS EFFORT BROADLY, UM, YOU KNOW, VALUING AND HONORING OUR SOCIAL WORKERS AND THE EXISTING CASE MANAGERS IN THE SYSTEM, BUT THINKING ABOUT SUPPLEMENTING THAT WORD BEFORE US AS WELL.
SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S WELL-TIMED, AND, AND TO CAP THAT OFF, YOU KNOW, I, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AS WE MOVE INTO THIS SOLICITATION PERIOD AT CAPACITY IN TERMS OF SERVICE LEVEL AND THEN CAPACITY IN SERVICE DELIVERY.
UM, AND AS IN SERVICE DELIVERY.
SO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE WERE CULTIVATING AND SUPPORTING OUR EXISTING AND NEW PARTNERS, UM, MAYOR ADLER, I KNOW YOU HAVE A SHORT TIMEFRAME HERE, SO I'M GOING TO GO TO NEXT FOR QUESTIONS.
AND CHAIR, I'LL TRY TO COME BACK, UH, IF I'M, IF I'M ABLE TO, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THE ADDING CAPACITY AS AN ELEMENT AND MANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER TOO, CAUSE THIS IS LIKE OUR CHANCE EVERY THREE YEARS TO GET TO SOME OF THE LARGER ORGANIZATIONS IS NOT ONLY ASKING THE CAPACITY QUESTION FOR THEM.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO INCREASE CAPACITY OF YOUR OPERATION? BUT WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE DISCUSSIONS IS, IS THAT WE THINK THAT WE MAY VERY WELL NEED THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP US INCREASE CAPACITY SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE AGREEING TO TAKE SOMEBODY ON, YOU KNOW, TWO OR THREE PEOPLE ARE IN KIND OF LIKE APPRENTICESHIPS OR INTERNSHIPS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT THEY CAN SPEND A YEAR LEARNING HOW TO DO IT.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS ROUND, DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO IT.
WON'T DO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO IT YET.
WE'LL PARTICIPATE IN PHASE THREE AS YOU BUILD CAPACITY, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU'RE ENTERING INTO WITH CONTRACTS NOW HAVE A CONTRACTUAL PROVISION OR SOMETHING THAT SAYS THAT THEY WILL HELP BUILD CAPACITY IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AS AGREED AND WORKED ON BETWEEN YOU AND THEM.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT AND WE'RE NEVER GONNA, WE'LL ONLY HAVE THE LEVERAGE TO MAKE THAT REQUEST AS PART OF THIS SOLICITATION.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COVERING THAT ELEMENT OF CAPACITY DELIVERY FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS BY THESE ORGANIZATIONS
[00:35:01]
AS WELL.CAN WE DO THAT KIND OF THING OR WAS THAT I'LL DEFINITELY GO AHEAD.
I SEE ADRIAN AND WANTS TO CHIME IN GOOD MORNING.
UM, MAYOR ADLER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I WANT TO TALK TO LEGAL ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE WITH OUR BOILER PLATE TO, TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES IN THE CONTRACT LANGUAGE, AND THEN DO SOME STAKEHOLDER GROUPS WITH PARTNERS TO LEVEL SET EXPECTATIONS ON OUR PART AS THE CITY AND THEIR PART AS WELL.
LIKE WHAT, WHAT WOULD ADDITIONAL RESOURCES BE THAT THEY WOULD NEED ON THE FRONT END TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS CAPACITY TO COMMUNITY? BUT I DO AGREE IT'S GOING TO TAKE THAT TYPE OF, UM, CROSS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO GET TO THE SPACE WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
AND SO FAR EVERY ORGANIZATION THAT I'VE TALKED TO, THAT OUR LEGACY FOLKS HAVE AGREED TO DO AND EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS AND EAGERNESS ACTUALLY TO DO THIS.
UH, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE INVALUABLE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FRONT IS THANK YOU.
I GUESS THE QUESTION I HAVE IS THE 53 MILLION THAT YOU MENTIONED, THAT'S PART OF THIS CURRENT SOLICITATION IS THAT STANDARD IS THAT USUALLY THE, THE TRAUNCH OF FUNDS THAT WE, UM, THAT WE SOLICIT AS PART OF OUR REGULAR HOMELESSNESS EFFORTS, UM, EVERY YEAR, LIKE, CAN YOU GIVE ME LIKE A FRAME OF REFERENCE OF HOW WE ARE SCALING UP OUR, UM, EFFORTS TO MEET THE NEED? UH, I'LL LET, UH, I GIVE THE DETAIL ON THAT.
IT IS A COMBINATION OF GENERAL FUNDS AND ARPA, WHICH IS REALLY THE LION'S SHARE OF IT, BUT I'M A GUEST.
SHE'S GOT THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS.
SO I KNOW THAT THIS LARGE NUMBER IS NOT OUR NORM.
UM, AS DIANA MENTIONED, ARPA IS, IS OUR BIG ONE CURRENTLY.
UM, OUR GENERAL FUNDS IS, IS ABOUT, UM, FOR HOMELESS OVERALL ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 17 MILLION GIVE OR TAKE A CUP, YOU KNOW, GIVE OR TAKE.
UM, AND SO WE'VE, WE, WE, IN THAT WE'VE ADDED ON THIS, THIS LARGE OPERA COMPONENT, UM, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO REALLY TAKE A SWING AT ASSISTING THOSE, UM, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UM, IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
CAUSE THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WE EVEN SHARED WITH OUR COMMUNITY THAT COUNCIL HAS MADE A BOLD COMMITMENT ALONG WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, WITH BOTH THE, BOTH OF US COMING FORWARD WITH MORE THAN A HUNDRED MILLION EACH AND ON, ON TOP OF OUR GENERAL FUND ALLOCATION.
UM, SO KNOWING THAT WE CAN SHARE BACK WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, INJECTING AN ADDITIONAL 36 MILLION AT THIS TIME, UM, TO HELP US IN OUR, IN OUR AMBITIOUS GOAL OF REHOUSING 3000 INDIVIDUALS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN, AND THEN WE SHOULD, AND I'M SORRY TO REDO PRESENTATIONS AGAIN, BUT I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER.
IF WE COULD AND SWITCH TO THE HOMEMADE PRESENTATION, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN REQUESTED, AND SHE HAS A NEED TO LEAVE, I BELIEVE AT 10 30.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US.
AND THEN WE'LL PICK UP WITH NEIL, SORRY FOR THE JUGGLING.
WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE A FEW DIFFERENT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS SCHEDULES HERE THIS MORNING AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO OR CHAIR TOBO IF I CAN JUST MENTION, UM, I'M FAMILIAR WITH HOMEMADE AND I THINK I WANT, IT REALLY WANTED TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT MY COLLEAGUES WERE FAMILIAR WITH THEM AND ALSO THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THEM.
THEY WERE A GREAT RESOURCE, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE HELPED US, UH, IN THE PAST WITH PARTICULAR, UM, NEEDS RELATED TO HOMELESS HOMELESSNESS.
AND, UM, AND SO I'M REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, HEARING FROM HOMEMADE TODAY.
THANKS FOR ACCOMMODATING, UH, ALLOWING THEM TO SPEAK FOR A FEW MINUTES.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE SUGGESTION AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, WE CAN SKIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
JUST THE COVER SLIDE RIGHT THERE.
MY NAME IS MELISSA, NICE WARNER DAILY.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HOMEMADE AUSTIN.
UM, NATIONWIDE, WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 89.
WE HAVE 19 AFFILIATES NATIONWIDE, AND OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD A FUTURE WITHOUT HOMELESSNESS.
WHAT WE DO IS TO PARTNER WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS AND A SIX COUNTY REGION.
THAT'S WILLIAMSON ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HAYES COUNTY AND MANAGE THEIR RENOVATIONS AND GROUND UP CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
THAT'S OUR MISSION IS TO BE A VITAL FORCE IN CREATING DIGNIFIED HOUSING.
WE ARE HELPING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING OR AT RISK OF BUILD NEW LIVES THROUGH CONSTRUCTION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
[00:40:01]
AND EDUCATION.OUR CORE VALUES ARE INCLUSIVENESS COLLABORATION, INTEGRITY.
UH, THE WAY WE WORK IS TO THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, AUSTIN APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, AND THE BUILDING COMMUNITY WITH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS TO MANAGE OUR RENOVATIONS AND GROUND UP PROJECTS, THEY CAN BE ANYTHING FROM RESOURCE CENTERS, FOOD PANTRIES, DROP-IN CENTERS TO ACTUAL HOUSING.
UM, WE HAVE THE THREE SIDES OF THE TRIANGLE AGAIN, WHICH ARE EDUCATION, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND WE HAVE SO MUCH MOBILITY WITH OUR MISSION.
WE ARE NOT JUST FOCUSED ON ONE CAUSE OF HOMELESSNESS, AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE'S MYRIAD OF WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN END UP EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSECURITY.
UM, WE AREN'T LIMITED TO SERVING ONE TYPE OF MISSION.
SO WE PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MOBILE LOAVES AND FISHES, WHERE WE HAVE BUILT 23 TINY HOMES.
WE ARE WORKING ON A PROJECT RIGHT NOW FOR MAGDALEN HOUSE THAT SERVES VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING AND EXPLOITATION.
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON NEXT SLIDE, UM, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY, THE VALUE WE BRING TO A PROJECT IS NOT ONLY THROUGH THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT, WE PUT THE PROJECT IN HANDS OF INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS.
SO WE ARE SAYING TO THE BUILDING COMMUNITY, YOU'RE GOING TO HELP SOLVE FOR A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE BY DOING WHAT YOU DO BEST AND THAT'S BUILDING HOUSING.
UM, ALSO WHAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE IS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF SAVINGS.
WE SAVE AROUND 50% OFF THE TOTAL COST OF CONSTRUCTION OVER THE LAST ALMOST FOUR YEARS.
WE'VE SAVED SERVICE PROVIDERS, NEARLY $800,000 OFF THE TOTAL COST OF CONSTRUCTION IMPACTING THE LIVES OF 3,500 INDIVIDUALS IN THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA.
SO WHEN WE TAKE ON A PROJECT, IT GIVES SERVICE PROVIDERS A PEACE OF MIND KNOWING THAT THEIR PROJECT IS IN TRUSTED HANDS AND ALSO THROUGH THE SAVINGS THAT'S MONEY THAT THEY CAN INSTEAD INVEST IN GROWING THEIR MISSION AND THEIR DAILY OPERATIONS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THIS ACTUALLY CAME ALONG DURING THE RECESSION WHEN NOBODY WAS BUILDING.
AND SO WE WANTED TO STAY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, ENGAGED WITH OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PARTNER WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS AND ASK THEM WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH A NOVEL CONCEPT, BUT TO ASK AN ORGANIZATION WHAT THEY ACTUALLY NEED RATHER THAN JUST GIFTING THEM WITH RESOURCES IS A HUGE ASSET.
SO, UM, IS IT SOX? IS IT, UM, YOU KNOW, BOXES OF RAMEN IS WHATEVER IT IS BASED ON THAT MISSION AND THIS, THE CLIENTS THEY SERVE, WE MAKE SURE WE'RE SUPPLYING THEM WITH DIAPERS, WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEIR CLIENTS NEED IN ORDER TO HELP STABILIZE AND MOVE THEIR LIVES FORWARD CARE DAYS IS SOMETHING WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR.
THIS IS A TYPE OF PROJECT THAT YOUR EVERYDAY VOLUNTEER CAN PARTICIPATE IN.
AND THEY INCLUDE COSMETIC PROJECTS, SUCH AS LANDSCAPING, PAINTING, VERY LIGHT CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE ONE HAPPENING TOMORROW FOR A MOBILE LOAVES AND FISHES WITH DNR.
WE PARTNER WITH A LOT OF LARGE VOLUME BUILDERS, UH, THAT IS, UH, A HUGE ASSET TO US AND SAVINGS.
AND OBVIOUSLY LEADERSHIP THROUGH THESE PROJECTS.
OUR BOARD IS MADE UP OF A LOT OF DIVISION PRESIDENTS FROM VARIOUS HOME BUILDERS AND, UM, ALSO GROWING OUR PIPELINE OF COMMERCIAL BUILDERS.
UM, THROUGH EDUCATION, WE HOPE TO REACH MORE PEOPLE AND EDUCATE THEM ON THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS.
UM, I THINK IT IS A TOPIC WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT IN THE NEWS, BUT WE OFTENTIMES ARE NOT AS EDUCATED ON THE UNDERCURRENT OF HOMELESSNESS BEING, UM, STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION OR IF IT IS MENTAL HEALTH OR ABUSE, THESE VARIOUS, UM, THESE VARIOUS CHALLENGES THAT END PEOPLE UP IN VERY UNSTABLE SITUATIONS.
SO OUR JOB IS TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, BRING PEOPLE CLOSER TO THE ISSUES, UH, PROXIMITY TO THE PROBLEM IS A, A HUGE VEHICLE AND, UM, AND CREATING EMPATHY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HELPING GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO STAND ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER AND LIFT UP OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS.
WE'RE A VERY SMALL TEAM, LIKE A LOT OF NONPROFITS, UM, MAKES ACTIVE DIRECTOR.
JASON IS PROJECT MANAGER AND HE MANAGES ALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND SALWA YARDI IS OUR COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER AND MANAGES ALL OF OUR HOMEMADE ESSENTIALS PROJECTS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ON THE GROUND.
THESE ARE OUR MAJOR THREE-YEAR GOALS IS TO BRING IN 1.5 MILLION AND TO IMPACT THE LIVES OF 5,000 PEOPLE.
THIS IS THROUGH BOTH CONSTRUCTION AND OUTRAGE.
NEXT SLIDE, UM, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS JUST A PICTURE OF A CHARRETTE WE DID WITH A DESIGN VOICE IS, UH, THE FOUNDATION FOR, UM, AIA IN AUSTIN AND PARTNERING WITH ARCHITECTS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH THAT IS PARTNERING WITH FOUNDATION FOR THE HOMELESS.
[00:45:01]
THIS IS A UNIQUE PROJECT THAT'S IN DISTRICT SIX.AND, UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY WE'VE BROUGHT TOGETHER.
DIFFERENT TEAMS. WE'RE EVEN TALKING TO ICON 3D BUILDING ABOUT, UM, CONSTRUCTING TWO HOMES FOR FAMILIES OF UP TO FOUR.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO HOUSE FOUR FAMILIES OF UP TO FOUR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED EMERGENCY HOUSING.
UM, ALSO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
WE ALSO ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE TYPE OF HOUSING WE TAKE ON.
WE CAN DO ANYTHING FROM EMERGENCY TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
UM, WE DO REQUIRE THAT ALL THE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT WE RENOVATE OR CONSTRUCT HAVE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TIED TO THE HOUSING BECAUSE HOUSING ALONE, AS WE ALL KNOW WON'T SOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT IT IS THAT SUPPORT THROUGH COMMUNITY AND, UM, PROFESSIONAL CASE MANAGEMENT THAT WE CAN HELP PEOPLE SEE THEIR NEXT STEP.
UM, HOUSING IS A LOT OF THINGS.
IT IS STABILITY, BUT MOST OF ALL, IT IS CHANGING THE WAY PEOPLE SEE THEMSELVES HAVING WORKED ON THE GROUND WITH PEOPLE, STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION AND, UM, LIVING IN HOMELESS SHELTERS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT LIVING IN SAFE AND DIGNIFIED HOUSING CAN COMPLETELY CHANGE THE WAY A PERSON SEES THEMSELVES AND GIVE THEM THE CLARITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE HOPE AND SEE THAT NEXT STEP IN FRONT OF THEM.
AND SO, UM, OUR MISSION THROUGH CONSTRUCTION IS TO SELECT THE PROJECT.
UH, WE PLAY DIFFERENT ROLES THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT PROCESS.
AND FIRST WE PLAY MATCHMAKER IDENTIFYING A PROJECT RIGHT NOW, AS I'M SPEAKING, THERE IS A SITE VISIT GOING ON FOR KEEP AUSTIN FED.
THEY HAVE JUST ACQUIRED A SPACE WHERE THEY CAN FINALLY HAVE COLD STORAGE FOR THE FOOD THAT THEY DELIVERED TO VARIOUS SERVICE PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT AUSTIN.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO HELP THEM MAKE THAT SPACE MORE PRODUCTIVE AND ALLOW THEM TO EXPAND THEIR OPERATIONS.
AND SO IT'S IDENTIFYING THE PROJECT AND THEN GOING TO OUR PIPELINE OF BUILDERS AND THINKING, WHO DO WE HAVE THAT HAS THE BANDWIDTH TO HANDLE THE SCOPE OF THIS TYPE OF PROJECT? DOES THIS MISSION SPEAK TO THEIR COMPANY AND THEN PAIRING THEM UP, CREATING A BUDGET AND A PLAN AND HELPING SHEPHERD THAT PROJECT THROUGH.
AND THIS IS A QUOTE FROM A NEIGHBOR AT COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE.
IT SAYS AFTER 10 YEARS ON THE STREETS, HOME WAS WHEREVER ME AND HELEN COULD LAY SAFE FOR THE NIGHT.
NOW THAT WE MOVED TO THE VILLAGE, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SPOT TO LAY DOWN WHERE WE LOVE TO BE A WORLD, UM, IN A WORLD RIFE WITH FEAR HARDSHIP, AND WE FEEL WE MAY BE THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE ON EARTH.
AND SO THAT FOR ME IS OUR WHY IT IS THE JOY.
AND AGAIN, THAT CLARITY THAT WE CAN BRING TO FOLKS WHO OTHERWISE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, UM, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
THIS JUST, AGAIN, GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, IT IS A VERY HIGHLY COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF LAYERS IN PLAYERS TO WHAT WE DO, BUT, UH, WE ARE AGAIN BRINGING TOGETHER THE BUILDING COMMUNITY WITH THE NONPROFIT COMMUNITY AND, UM, AND REALLY MAXIMIZING THE TALENT AND RESOURCES INSIDE THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
NEXT SLIDE, OUR STRENGTHS IS THAT WE SUPPORT A VERY, A VARIETY OF MISSIONS AND WE SERVE PEOPLE ALL ALONG THE SPECTRUM OF HOMELESSNESS.
UM, IF WE ARE ONLY SERVING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THEN WE TRULY AREN'T SOLVING THE PROBLEM.
WE HAVE TO HELP PEOPLE, UM, WITH THAT PREVENTATIVE HEALTH CARE, THAT PREVENTATIVE HOUSING, GETTING PEOPLE INTO SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING AND HELPING THEM MAINTAIN THE STABILITY THAT THEY HAVE SO THAT THEY AREN'T, UM, EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSECURITY ANY LONGER AND WE CAN RENOVATE OR BUILD GROUND UP.
WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THAT.
AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE BUILD IN THE COMMUNITY ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET.
IT IS THROUGH, UH, THE FRIENDS WE MAKE IN BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
AND THROUGH MEETINGS LIKE THIS, THAT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, WE CAN BE SO MUCH STRONGER THAN OUR OWN NEXT SIDE.
SO THESE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, THE PROJECT I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT'S IN DISTRICT, IT'S ACTUALLY IN DISTRICT SIX, IT IS PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH.
THAT'S PARTNERING WITH FOUNDATION FOR THE HOMELESS.
UM, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS PRE-DEVELOPMENT COSTS.
AND IF WE HAD HELP WAVING PERMITTING FEES, IMPACT FEES, UH, WE HAVE, WE ARE LOOKING AT A MITIGATION FEE UPWARDS OF $150,000 FOR THIS ONE PROJECT AT PEACE LUTHERAN.
UM, THIS IS A TIPPING POINT FOR THIS PROJECT AND WE HAVE NOT BROKEN GROUND.
A LOT OF THESE FEES ARE DEAL BREAKERS FOR PROJECTS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
WE'RE NOT ALWAYS WORKING WITH A MOBILE LOAVES AND FISHES.
A LOT OF TIMES WE ARE WORKING WITH A TEAM THAT IS AS BIG AS OURS, THREE PEOPLE, 10 PEOPLE.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO WAIVE THESE FEES SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GET TO THE CONSTRUCTION PIECE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS CRUCIAL IN ORDER TO CREATE SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING.
UM, MATERIAL SHORTAGES HAVE BEEN A HUGE CHALLENGE FOR US OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
WE'VE HAD TO DEFINITELY GET CREATIVE.
[00:50:01]
SEEN AS ONE OF THE MORE INNOVATIVE AFFILIATES OF HOMEMADE LOOKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND WORKING WITH COMPANIES LIKE ICON.UM, WE'RE ALSO IN TALKS WITH A COMPANY CALLED MODAL, WHICH IS, UM, MODULAR, ADU, UH, BUILDER.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO PARTNER POTENTIALLY WITH TEXAS BAPTIST.
CHILDREN'S HOME ON A PROJECT THAT WE MAY SEE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS HERE.
TWO IS A VERY SPRAWL SPRAWLY AREA.
SO IN ORDER TO, UM, BEST SERVE THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH IN THE LAND WE COVER, WE REALLY DO NEED TO BE LOOKING AT GROWING OUR TEAM.
AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO FUNDRAISE AND, UM, ADD TO THE, UH, TO OUR MISSION THROUGH GROWING OPERATIONS AND BEING ABLE TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
I BELIEVE THAT'S IT TRIED TO FIT IT ALL IN FIVE MINUTES.
SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, WELL, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT AN ORGANIZATION WORKING IN THIS SPACE THAT WE DON'T, WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY TALKED ABOUT, UM, HERE AT CITY COUNCIL.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT BRIEF OVERVIEW, BUT REALLY, UM, WEIGHTY ONE WITH LOTS OF INFORMATION.
AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THE FEE WAIVERS OR TO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM YOU.
I KNOW WE'VE ENCOUNTERED THAT BEFORE WITH SOME OTHER OTHER PROJECTS, AND I KNOW, UH, IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO LOOP IN THE COUNCIL MEMBER IN THAT DISTRICT AND MAKE SURE THAT SHE'S AWARE AS WELL.
UM, QUESTIONS FOR OUR SPEAKER COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, KITCHEN, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MEDICINE.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO STEP OFF, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, I KNOW I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH YOU BEFORE AND REACH OUT TO YOU ALL, EITHER FOR HELP WITH THE PROJECT OR JUST FOR IDEAS TO HELP US THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN, UH, DIRECT SOMEONE, UM, IN, IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO GET, UM, ASSISTANCE.
UM, SO, UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND, AND, UM, AND ALSO, I ALSO APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING TO OUR ATTENTION, UM, WHAT YOU JUST DID, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF DIFFICULTIES WITH FEES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, I THINK THAT THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU ALL HAVE IS VERY MUCH ON THE GROUND EXPERIENCE AND, UM, SPECIFIC AND DETAILED EXPERIENCE THAT YOU CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN, UH, IMPROVE OUR PROCESSES AND, UM, AND REALLY JUST MAKE IT MORE POSSIBLE FOR GROUPS LIKE YOURS AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO REALLY HELP US AS A COMMUNITY EFFORT TO, TO HOUSE FOLKS, UH, THAT ARE UNSHELTERED.
SO, UH, I'M GOING TO SAY THANK YOU AND STEP OFF.
I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND I'M PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE YOU, UH, COME AND TALK WITH THEM.
THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON.
I WAS HOPING TO CATCH COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, AND JUST REALLY EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD.
UM, IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I JUST CANNOT STOP THINKING ABOUT.
AND SO YOU SPOKE TO IT AND OUR CHAIR SPOKE TO IT AS WELL, LIKE REMOVING BARRIERS FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
UM, AS WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR IMPENETRABLE HOUSING SYSTEM, WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE ON THE VERGE OF IT.
WE JUST GENERALLY HAVE TO GET BETTER ABOUT HOW WE DO HOUSING.
SO I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
WE'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT HOW TO REMOVE THE BARRIERS.
I MEAN, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I KNOW, UM, I'M RELATIVELY GREEN AND I'M, I'M RADICAL.
I'M LIKE, LET'S JUST TAKE AWAY EVERY BARRIER, EVERYTHING THAT COULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO PRODUCE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND IF WE HAVE THE POWER AS A BODY, AS A MUNICIPALITY, I SAY WE JUST TAKE AWAY EVERY SINGLE BARRIER.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
THERE WERE TWO OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT YOU SAID.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS CHAIR, THIS IS GOING TO BE MAYBE A FUTURE ITEM THAT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO ONE THAT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FOR THIS BODY AND I'D LOVE TO GET YOUR GUIDANCE GIVEN YOUR, YOU KNOW, DEEP LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH THIS BODY.
SO, UM, THE PRESENTER SAID SOMETHING ABOUT KEEPING AUSTIN FED.
UM, SO SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A THING, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN MY FORMER LIFETIME, AS A FLORIST, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID AS A FLORIST WAS EVERY CAPTURED FLOWERS.
PEOPLE WOULD SPEND 30, 40, $50,000, YOU KNOW, ON THESE WEDDINGS.
AND HALF OF THAT WAS THEIR FLOWER BUDGET AND HELPING THEM TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REPURPOSE THE FLOWERS WAS A THING.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS MY MISSION.
BUT THEN I REALIZED HOW MUCH FOOD, THESE GIANT PANS OF PASTA IN ZD, AND LIKE ALL THIS STUFF, THAT'S JUST GOING TO GO RIGHT TO THE TRASH.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU ALL DON'T KNOW, WE GO TO THESE, GALA'S WHERE THERE'S ONLY THREE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE OF 10, THERE'S A SALAD, THERE'S DESSERT, THERE'S THE PRIMARY MEAL, ALL THIS FOOD WASTE.
SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE VERY MUCH TO THINK ABOUT IN ADDITION TO REMOVING BARRIERS AROUND PRODUCING HOUSING.
I'D LIKE TO THINK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE, THEY THROW THAT FOOD AWAY BECAUSE OF,
[00:55:01]
YOU KNOW, OUR LIMITATIONS AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS THESE VERY SPECIFIC RULES ABOUT HOW LONG IT CAN SIT OUT AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.I THINK THERE ARE WAYS FOR US TO WASTE LESS FOOD AND FIRST TO PRODUCE MORE FOOD FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED FOOD BY WAY OF THE FOOD THAT WE'RE ALREADY PRODUCING, WE'RE ALL GOING TO THESE GALAS, Y'ALL SEE IT, YOU SEE THE FOOD WASTE.
AND IT REALLY JUST, IT'S A PROBLEM FOR ME.
IT, IT REALLY MAKES ME WANT TO NOT GO.
CAUSE I JUST WATCHED ALL THIS FOOD THAT I KNOW IS GOING TO GO IN THE TRASH.
THEY DON'T FEED IT TO EMPLOYEES.
THEY'RE NOT TAKING IT TO PIER PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, ALL THAT FOOD JUST GOES IN THE TRASH.
AND I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO THINK THROUGH.
WE CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO FIX IT TODAY, BUT I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO THINK THROUGH.
IF WE COULD BRING AN ITEM FORWARD FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION AROUND HOW TO MITIGATE FOOD WASTE, THE SAME WAY THAT WE NEED TO MITIGATE THE BARRIERS FOR PRODUCING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MITIGATE FOOD WASTE.
UM, AND I THINK THERE ARE WAYS, I MEAN, THE FOOD'S GETTING COOKED AND PEOPLE AREN'T EATING IT.
UM, THEN THE LAST THING THAT I WROTE DOWN WAS THERE'S AN ORGANIZATION AND, UH, MY DISTRICT THEY'RE WORKING IN MY DISTRICT.
UM, THEY'RE DOING A THING WITH THIS PLUGIN HOUSE.
THEY HAVE THIS, THESE INSULATED PANELS AND THEY CAN SLAP THAT HOUSE TOGETHER IN A DAY, LESS THAN A DAY.
AND I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO THINK THROUGH TO YOUR POINT, UM, THE PRESENTERS POINT ABOUT THE PERSON THAT IS DOING THE MODULAR, SORRY, HONEY, YOU ARE ON CAMERA, I'M DOING THE MODULAR HOUSING.
I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO BE DIALING INTO ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE TO COMPETE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
LET'S WORK WITH THEM ALL AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
AND SO I'D LOVE TO, YOU KNOW, JUST KEEP THIS CONVERSATION GOING.
IF YOU COULD FOLLOW UP MY OFFICE, THAT'D BE GREAT BECAUSE THERE'S SOME FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THAT WORK.
THERE'S ONE ORGANIZATION ALREADY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONE IN MY DISTRICT OFF OF ALAMO, UM, THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER.
SO PEOPLE COULD JUST SAY HOW FAST IT GOT PUT TOGETHER, SEE THAT IT'S INSULATED IT'S, YOU KNOW, BUT THEN ALSO TO YOUR POINT ABOUT ALTERNATIVE BUILDING MATERIALS, I REALLY THINK THAT AS A BODY, AS A CITY, WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT WE'RE WATCHING HOW FREQUENTLY LUMBER SHORTAGE IS THE PROBLEM.
SO ARE WE THINKING ABOUT HIM CREATE, ARE WE THINKING ABOUT ALTERNATIVE BUILDING MATERIALS BEFORE THE LEDGE COMES BACK INTO SESSION? I BUY VERY MUCH FOR US TO BE THINKING AS A BODY, LIKE HOW DO WE BRING FORWARD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRODUCE ALTERNATIVE BUILDING MATERIALS? AND SO ALL THOSE THINGS TO SAY, THERE'S NOTHING WE'RE GOING TO FIX TODAY WITH ANY OF THOSE THINGS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO PUT THEM ON GAS RADAR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THAT.
AND YES, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONNECTING OF SOMETHING YOU SAID ABOUT ACCESS TO FOOD.
I THINK ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD IS IMPERATIVE BECAUSE I HAD A CLIENT ONCE WHO LIVED AT THE SALVATION ARMY DOWNTOWN AND SAID, I'D NEVER EATEN TWO CAKES IN ONE DAY TILL I LIVED THERE.
I MEAN, JUST THE AMOUNT OF PROCESSED AND UNHEALTHY FOODS THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE, BUT AREN'T NECESSARILY THE BEST THING FOR PEOPLE.
SO MAKING FOOD, HEALTHY FOODS ACCESSIBLE AND ALSO MAKING THEM, UM, IN A WAY THAT'S MANAGEABLE.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT KEEP AUSTIN FED DOES SO WELL THAT THEY ARE DELIVERING, UM, PRE-PACKAGED MEALS.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO VERY CULTURALLY SENSITIVE THAT SOME GROUPS THAT ARE DELIVERING TO PREFER TO PERF YOU KNOW, TO PREPARE THEIR OWN FOOD BECAUSE OF WHATEVER REASON.
AND SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S THAT SENSITIVITY TO THE CLIENT AND US BEING ABLE TO LIFT ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS UP THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU TALK ABOUT.
AND THERE'S SOME OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TOO THAT ARE DOING KIND OF FOOD RESCUE THAT MIGHT BE, MIGHT BE GOOD TO CONNECT INTO THAT CONVERSATION.
AND I DO WANT TO SAY ONE THING THAT WE, UM, WE'LL NEED TO TALK ABOUT WITH REGARD TO POTENTIAL FEE WAIVERS IS THAT THAT'S ONE WAY THAT WE FUND AND PAY FOR THE STAFF AND THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
SO I THINK AS A CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY HAVE, WE HAVE WAIVED FEES IN THE PAST FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, AT COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL CAN DELIBERATE ON, BUT IT IS, UH, IT IS, THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE FEE.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR WITH OUR PUBLIC THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A BARRIER IF IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUT UP BARRIERS.
IT JUST IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE FOUND THE SERVICES IS THROUGH THOSE PERMITS AND FEES.
BUT CERTAINLY I THINK IT, IT MAKES SENSE TO CONSIDER EXCEPTIONS FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT REALLY IMPORTANT ONE TO OUR ATTENTION.
WE ARE, UH, QUITE A BIT OFF SCHEDULE, BUT IF WE COULD DO OUR LAST, UM, HOMELESSNESS PRESENTATION ON MEAL, AND THEN WE WILL MOVE INTO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN'S HEALTH CLINIC AND APOLOGIES TO OUR PRESENTERS FOR THAT NEXT PRESENTATION, SORRY TO HOLD YOU UP.
AND THANK YOU TO OUR CTM STAFF FOR SO ABLY
[01:00:01]
NAVIGATING BACK AND FORTH AMONG MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS.I BELIEVE WHERE WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE ON SLIDE SIX OR SEVEN.
SO, UH, UH, A COUPLE OF THESE BULLET POINTS WE SPOKE ABOUT, UH, AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
SO I WON'T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON THEM SINCE, UH, THE HEAL INITIATIVE WAS, UH, APPROVED BY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 4TH, 2021.
WE HAVE SERVED 182 INDIVIDUALS RELOCATED FROM SIX ENCAMPMENTS.
UH, THE FISCAL YEAR GOAL FOR THIS YEAR, UM, AT COUNCIL DIRECTION WAS AT LEAST 200 INDIVIDUALS SERVED.
WE HAVE SO FAR, UH, RELOCATED 40 INDIVIDUALS FROM TWO ENCAMPMENTS.
UH, AND DO THINK WHAT WE WILL BE ON TRACK TO MEET THAT GOAL.
BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE'VE HAD A 93% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN OFFERED RELOCATION TO SHELTER, HAVE ACCEPTED AND 32 HAVE BEEN REHOUSED TO DATE.
WE ARE USING TWO BRIDGE SHELTERS THAT ARE CITY OWNED.
THOSE ARE BOTH CONVERTED HOTELS.
UH, OUR CURRENT COUNT IS 95 INDIVIDUALS.
ACTUALLY, THIS WAS AS OF JANUARY 20TH, UM, 92% OF THOSE HAVE COMPLETED COORDINATED ASSESSMENT.
SO THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT WE WERE SEEING AND NEEDED TO SOLVE FOR.
AS PEOPLE CAME INTO SHELTER, ONE, WE ARE FINDING LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED, UH, NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY GOT A COORDINATED ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS, UM, MANY OF, YOU KNOW, IS THE ASSESSMENT THAT SORT OF, UH, REFERS SOMEONE FOR SERVICES WITHIN THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND PRIORITIZES THEM.
UH, AND SO, AND WE HAD A BIT OF A LAG IN GETTING THAT DONE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO DIDN'T HAVE IT.
UM, SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO, TO REPORT TO COUNCIL, UM, IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CAPTURING FOLKS, UM, AND MAKING SURE THEY'VE GOT THAT ASSESSMENT HAPPENING WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF ARRIVING AT SHELTER, IF IT HASN'T HAPPENED ALREADY.
SIMILARLY, UM, WE SAW SOME LAGS EARLY IN THE INITIATIVE IN ENROLLING IN A PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAM.
AND PART OF THAT WAS THAT FOR THE FIRST FOREIGN CAMP MINTS, UH, THE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE ENCAMPMENTS WAS LARGER AND LARGER THAN OUR INITIAL CONTRACT FOR RAPID REHOUSING SERVICES RIGHT NOW, OR AT THE, UH, JANUARY 20TH DATE.
WE ARE AT 66% OF PEOPLE, UM, REFERRED INTO AND ENROLLED IN A PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAM THAT IS LOWER THAN WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE, BUT THAT THIS CENSUS WAS DONE ABOUT THREE DAYS AFTER A RELOCATION FROM AN ENCAMPMENT.
AND SO IT'S WOULD BE NATURAL THAT THOSE PEOPLE WOULD NOT YET HAVE BEEN ENROLLED.
UM, BASED ON WHEN WE TOOK THOSE FOLKS OUT OF THE ANALYSIS, WE ARE AT 85%.
I STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HIGHER.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IT AT A HUNDRED FOR PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN THERE LONGER THAN A WEEK.
UM, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
ANOTHER OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL HAS ASKED US TO MONITOR IS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF PEOPLE SERVED THROUGH THE HEAL INITIATIVE, UM, WITH A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN ENSURING THAT THIS APPROACH, UM, DOESN'T FURTHER TO THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS OF HOMELESSNESS, PARTICULARLY ON THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE CLIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN SERVED THUS FAR THROUGH THE HEAL INITIATIVE, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A BREAKDOWN BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, AS WELL AS BY AGE.
AND THE PIECE I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT HERE, UH, IS THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF, UH, BLACK OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN, UH, NEIGHBORS SERVED THROUGH THIS IS ROUGHLY COMMENSURATE WITH WHAT WE SEE IN THE HOMELESS POPULATION OVERALL, WHICH IS AROUND 36%.
UH, SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT THE CLASSIFICATION OF WHITE VERSUS HISPANIC, UH, IN THE DATA IS A LITTLE UNCLEAR BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WITH CENSUS DATA, UH, CONSIDERS RACE AND, UH, HISPANIC OR LATIN X ETHNICITY SEPARATE, UM, WHEREAS THE INITIAL DATA IN HMES DOES NOT.
AND SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT OUR NUMBERS AROUND THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY ARE LOWER THAN WHAT WE SEE, UM, IN THE HOMELESS POPULATION OVERALL.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND SEE IF WE CAN RECONCILE THE DATA.
UH, BUT WE HAVE SOME, A LITTLE BIT OF COMPLICATION IN TERMS OF THE CATEGORIES.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, WE'LL PROVIDE IN, IN, ON FUTURE REPORTS, COMPARISON BY AGE TO THE HOMELESS POPULATION OVERALL, BUT SOMETHING I WOULD POINT OUT HERE IS THAT ALMOST 40% OF PEOPLE, UM, ARE 56 OR OLDER.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, BY SOME CLASSIFICATION, SENIOR CITIZENS IN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED LONG-TERM HOMELESSNESS, AGE, PREMATURELY, AND EXPERIENCED HEALTH CONDITIONS AT RATES THAT ARE BEYOND THEIR CHRONOLOGICAL CHRONOLOGICAL YEARS.
SO WE ARE SEEING, UH, UM, QUITE A FEW FOLKS WHO, UM, OLDER ADULTS WHO MAY BE COMING IN WITH SUBSTANTIAL MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
[01:05:01]
WILL PAUSE THERE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH COUNCIL MEMBER FONTUS.
AND THANK YOU DIANA, FOR SHARING THE, UM, KIND OF YOUR ASSESSMENT OF OUR ECHO, THE ECHO COORDINATED ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE CREATED, OR THAT ARE LED BY ECHO.
SO THAT TYPE OF ASSESSMENT, THAT INITIAL ASSESSMENT THAT IS CONDUCTED, HOW FAR BEHIND YOU THINK WE ARE, CAUSE YOU, YOU SHARED MY RIGHT, THAT YOU SHARED THAT THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE ALREADY, UM, HAD BEEN THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT IS LOWER THAN YOU EXPECTED.
CAN YOU SHARE US TO LIKE WHAT YOU, WHAT FACTORS HAVE? SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A BENCHMARK, A SPECIFIC BENCHMARK FOR THAT, BUT CERTAINLY WE WANT EVERYONE WHO'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FOR ANY, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A COUPLE OF DAYS, RIGHT.
TO HAVE A COORDINATED ASSESSMENT SO THAT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE BEING CONNECTED TO SERVICES.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME FRAGMENTATION IN OUR SYSTEM GENERALLY, AND IT HAS BEEN COMPOUNDED BY COVID WHEN MANY SERVICE PROVIDERS STOPPED OFFERING, AS YOU KNOW, WALK-IN SERVICES TO THE DEGREE THEY WERE, UH, PREVIOUSLY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE MY DIVISION TO LOOK AT MORE COHESIVELY WITH ECHO AND THE LI THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE SYSTEM.
HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE, UM, THAT PEOPLE ARE CONNECTING? YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD ANECDOTALLY FROM FOLKS, UM, WORKING AT THE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS WAS THAT THEY ALSO WERE IN INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN SERVICE CONNECTED PREVIOUSLY MIGHT NOT HAVE INTERACTED WITH A SERVICE OR HAD A COORDINATED ASSESSMENT.
SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY CORE OPERATIONAL ISSUES TO ADDRESS WITH COLD WEATHER SHELTER.
IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE HAVE A MORE STABLE SYSTEM, WE NEED TO REALLY SEE IF WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT TO MAKE, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, CONNECTING WITH FOLKS IN THE WAY THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
CAUSE YES, I DEFINITELY AGREE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR UNHOUSED HAVE THAT COORDINATED ASSESSMENT.
AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY DIFFERENT ENTRY POINTS, RIGHT.
AND SO HAVING A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK JUST SO THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING ANY OPPORTUNITY, THRILLED TO HEAR THAT OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTERS, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT THOSE ASSESSMENTS WERE CONDUCTED.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ADD JUST TO CONTINUE TO THREAD FROM LAST MONTH, UM, IS THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WOULD LIKE US TO SEE IF WE CAN EXPAND OUR SHELTER CAPACITY AT SALVATION ARMY AND GOODWILL OR FRONT STEPS.
UM, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE OPERATING AT HALF LEVELS BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT KNOWING THAT WE HAVE TESTS READILY AVAILABLE, THE VACCINES ARE READILY ASSESSABLE.
I THINK WE'RE AT A POINT RIGHT NOW, GIVEN THE CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN, THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH HOUSING OPTIONS RIGHT NOW, UM, THAT WE NEED TO TAKE, UH, WE NEED TO RETHINK, UM, THOSE PROTOCOLS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES WE CAN ADD TO THAT.
WE CAN EXPAND THE CAPACITY AT THOSE SHELTERS, COUNCIL MEMBER, HARVARD MEDICINE.
DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS PORTION OR YOU'RE YOU'RE MUTED? DID YOU ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK I SEE YOU SAY NO.
AND ESPECIALLY WE DID HAVE THE ONE QUESTION THERE WAS THIS SLIDE WHERE IT SAID, IT TALKS ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS TO TALKED ABOUT RACE AND AGE AND THEN, UM, OTHER IT'S A ZERO.
SO IT'S JUST THAT IN THE OTHER CATEGORY FOR, FOR RACE OR ETHNICITY, WE HAD NOT HAD ANY REPORTED IN THAT CATEGORY.
NO INDIVIDUALS HAD SELECTED OTHER AS THEIR, THEIR ETHNICITY.
AND I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD MY THANKS.
I THINK THE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE OVERALL HOMELESS HOMELESSNESS POPULATION HERE IN AUSTIN, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY BE MINDFUL OF HOW, HOW THE INITIATIVES ARE REALLY MEETING THOSE NEEDS.
AND I, AND I ALSO APPRECIATE, UM, IT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL.
I MEAN, YOU'RE HAVING GREAT, GREAT SUCCESS AT GETTING INDIVIDUALS, UM, HOW'S TO SAFELY AND THEN ON THE TRACK TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A REALLY CHALLENGING WEEK FOR YOU AND YOUR STAFF AS, AS WELL AS OUR CITY STAFF.
THANK YOU, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL AND VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
[3. Receive a briefing from the African American Men’s Health Clinic.]
RIGHT.SO OUR NEXT AND FINAL AGENDA ITEM OF THE DAY, UM, IS TO HEAR FROM, UH, LARRY WALLACE.
AND WE WELCOME YOU HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN'S HEALTH CLINIC PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND APOLOGIES THAT WE'RE TAKING YOU UP A LITTLE LATER THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO HAVE TIME JUST TO PRESENT AND TALK ABOUT, UH, A NEW EFFORT AND INITIATIVE THAT WE THINK IS VERY EXCITING FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR MEN OF COLOR.
AND, UH, BEFORE I GET STARTED,
[01:10:01]
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, SHANNON JONES WHO, UH, HELP WORK WITH US ON THIS, UH, EARLY ON A YEAR AGO, AND, UH, MICHAEL LOFTON WITH THE HARVEST FOUNDATION, AND ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE LARRY WALLACE JR.UM, BUT HE IS HELPING WHEN HE CAN, UH, WITH TECHNICAL SUPPORT.
SO, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN'S HEALTH CLINIC, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, OUR MISSION REALLY IS TO GIVE MEN THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED, UH, THAT IMPACT THEIR LIVES.
WE BELIEVE THAT A HOLISTIC APPROACH IS NEEDED AS WE ADDRESS MEN OF COLOR.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MEN OF COLOR, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AFRICAN-AMERICANS HISPANICS, UH, LATINO AND ASIAN AND ANYBODY, UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISCRIMINATE.
SO, UH, IF YOU HAVE A HEALTHCARE NEED, WE WANT TO MAKE THESE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO YOU.
UH, THE HOLISTIC THAT WE WILL USE IN OUR PROJECT, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS THE BACKBONE OF WHAT WE DO AND TO ADDRESS THE TRAUMA THAT MEN HAVE SUFFERED, UH, THROUGH THE YEARS, UH, TO IGNORE MENTAL HEALTH IS REALLY A MISTAKE, PHYSICAL HEALTH, UH, THROUGH SCREENINGS AND CHECKUPS, AND BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY HEALTH ISSUES IN ADVANCE, UH, WILL CERTAINLY, UH, ADVANCE OUR CALLS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER THE, UH, SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS, UM, TO IGNORE, UH, THE NEEDS THAT MEN HAVE AROUND HOUSING, JOB SECURITY, FAMILY, UH, SAFETY, UH, WE WILL NOT BE TOTALLY SUCCESSFUL.
SO WE HAVE, UH, THOSE THREE AREAS THAT WE FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON.
UH, WE ARE TARGETING EASTERN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UH, THERE ARE NOT MANY SERVICES IN THAT AREA.
AND SO WE HAVE A GREAT LOCATION, UH, WHICH IS 66, 33 TO 90, UH, EAST.
AND IT'S RIGHT IN THE SAME BUILDING THAT THE HARVEST FOUNDATION IS LOCATED ON.
I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE TIME TO GO THROUGH THEM, BUT THEY ALL HAVE NEGATIVE INDICATE INDICATORS OF LIFE EXPECTANCY, UH, STROKES, HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, UH, HIV, MENTAL HEALTH, AND THE UNHOUSED POPULATION.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BRING SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS PROJECT.
IT'S BECAUSE THERE ARE MEN WHO ARE NOT ACCESSING CARE.
NOW WE HAVE MULTIPLE SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BUT THERE ARE STILL A LARGE NUMBER OF MEN WHO ARE NOT SEEKING SERVICES.
AND WE ASKED THE QUESTION WHY, AND, UH, AND WE HAVE INFORMATION THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO THAT, BUT LACK OF INFORMATION, LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, MISTRUST, UH, IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, LACK OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND SOMETIMES THE HOURS ARE NOT CONVENIENT WHEN THE SERVICES ARE BEING OFFERED NEXT LOT.
SO HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE PROBLEM? UM, HOW CAN WE HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT OF CHANGE ON MEN OF COLOR, UH, SO THAT THEIR LIVES CAN BE EXPANDED AND THEY CAN, UH, EXPERIENCE THE FULLNESS THAT WE ALL DESIRE.
UH, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DATA, THE STATS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
UM, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE OBVIOUS THAT, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE HAD SOME CHALLENGES HISTORICALLY, UH, IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WE CAN'T IGNORE THAT, THAT LEADS TO MISTRUST, UH, THAT LEADS TO CONFUSION IN SOME CASES.
SO, UH, FOR US, WE BELIEVE THAT ADDRESSING THAT MISTRUST, THE EDUCATION AND POSITIVE OUTCOMES WILL CERTAINLY MATTER.
UM, WE MUST PROVIDE SERVICES IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER WHEN YOU COME INTO OUR SPACE.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE, YOU'LL KNOW, IT'S FOR MEN.
AND SO, UH, WE HAVE TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION, UH, HOW WE HAVE TO MARKET AND ADDRESS IN SERVICES.
WE INTEND TO ENROLL EVERY MAN THAT STEPS INTO OUR DOOR.
AND WHY DO YOU DO THAT? BECAUSE WE NEED TO TRACK THEIR PROGRESS SO THAT WE CAN REPORT BACK AND STATE THAT WE MADE A DIFFERENCE.
UH, WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION WE'LL NEVER KNOW, AND OUR PARTNERS ARE ON BOARD WITH THAT NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO HOW DO WE DO THIS? UH, NO ONE AGENCY CAN DO IT ALL.
UH, I SPENT ALMOST 15 YEARS AT CENTRAL HEALTH AND WE DID A LOT, BUT THERE WERE STILL AREAS THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO COVER.
[01:15:01]
LEVERAGE AVAILABLE RESOURCES THAT ARE ALREADY FUNDED.UH, WE COLLABORATE, UH, PARTNERS ARE THE KEY AND, UH, LEVERAGING IS A CORE VALUE FOR WHAT WE DO.
WE WILL, UH, DEVELOP JOINT STRATEGIES AS WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY FOR FEEDBACK.
UH, I'VE BEEN TOLD LONG TIME AGO, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK, ASK.
UH, WE CONDUCTED SURVEYS AND OVER 700 MILLION RESPONDED AND PROVIDED INFORMATION TO US THAT LETS US KNOW THIS IS REALLY NEEDED.
AND SO TO THOSE THAT FEEL LIKE MAYBE IT'S NOT, WE HAVE PROOF THAT IT IS.
AND SO, UH, THOSE SURVEYS ARE COMPREHENSIVE.
IT WASN'T LIKE A ONE-PAGER, IT TOOK YOU LIKE 10 TO 15 MINUTES TO FILL IT OUT.
WE USED OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS TO HELP DEVELOP THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE WANT IT TO BE HOLISTIC.
AND AT THE END, WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY REALLY WHAT MEN WERE ASKING FOR.
SO, UM, NOW WE KNOW, AND IT REALLY FEEDS BACK TO WHAT I'D SAID EARLIER, THE HOLISTIC APPROACH, MENTAL, PHYSICAL, AND SOCIAL SPIRITUAL NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO SUPPORT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, WE HAVE SPACE, BUT WE HAVE, UM, NOTHING ELSE.
WE HAVE A LIST OF PARTNERS WHO, WHO STOOD UP AND SAID, WE WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS.
ALSO, THERE ARE MANY WAYS PEOPLE CAN PARTICIPATE, THEY CAN VOLUNTEER, UH, PROVIDE EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY, FURNITURE, DATA, INFORMATION, WHATEVER YOU HAVE.
WE COULD CERTAINLY USE IT, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, UH, THE, UH, PARTNERS THAT HAVE REALLY STOOD UP RIGHT NOW, AND THEY'RE A PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
OUR UT SCHOOL OF NURSING, A SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, DELL MED POPULATION, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION TECHS, CROSS MENTAL HEALTH, UH, ATC RC INTEGRAL CARE HARVEST FOUNDATION, URBAN LEAGUE, THE BLACK PHYSICIANS ASSOCIATION, AUSTIN HEALTH COMMENTS.
AND, UM, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SAID, YES.
UM, WE WANT TO BE IN THIS SPACE.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHERS, ADRIAN.
SHE SERVES ON OUR STEERING COMMITTEE, WHICH IS MADE UP OF A NUMBER OF PROVIDERS AND INDIVIDUALS TO HELP GUIDE US THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND SO, UH, OUR LAST THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT REALLY IS OUR NEXT STEPS.
SO NEXT SLIDE, I THINK THAT MAY BE IT.
SO WHERE WE ARE NEXT STEPS, OUR PARTNERS ARE CONTINUING TO MEET, UH, WE HAVE THE SPACE, WE'RE GOING TO ESTABLISH A CALENDAR FOR HOURS OF SERVICES.
UH, I DON'T EXPECT ANY ONE PROVIDER TO BE THERE FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
UH, WE'LL HAVE EVENING AND WEEKEND HOURS FOR MEN THAT ARE WORKING.
UH, WE ARE HOSTING AN OPEN HOUSE ON FEBRUARY 24TH AT 3:00 PM.
UH, WE INVITE YOU TO COME MEET ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT THEIR SERVICES AND WE'RE STILL SEEKING ADDITIONAL PARTNERS, HOSPITAL PARTNER, WHICH WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS.
AND I EXPECT TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM AND PLACES WHERE WE CAN REFER OUR PATIENTS AFTER WE IDENTIFY THEIR NEEDS.
AND WE ALSO ARE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL CLINICAL CAPACITY.
SO I WENT THROUGH THAT VERY QUICKLY FOR SAKE OF TIME.
AND I'LL PAUSE AND ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, MR. WALLACE, THAT WAS REALLY, UM, VERY, VERY HELPFUL AND INFORMATIVE QUESTIONS.
COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL, MEMBER, PEPPER MEDICINE.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. WALLACE FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I, I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT I THINK THAT THIS INITIATIVE IS AT MULTIPLE QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT BRIEF.
SO YOU GAVE, AND YOUR LIST OF PARTNERS.
YOU SAID ATC, I SEE WHO IS AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY INTEGRAL CARE, THE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE EVENT ON 2 24, 3:00 PM, UM, IS THERE A WAY FOR YOU TO SEND MY COLLEAGUES AND I AS SHAREABLE DIGITAL INVITATION THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEN I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT, AND I THINK YOU WERE PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE WHEN YOU TALK THROUGH, ESPECIALLY FROM THE SOCIAL COMPONENT.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT.
UM, JUST WHAT SOME OF THESE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS ARE.
SO DURING THE COURSE OF A MEETING, WE HAD THE OTHER DAY THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I PRESENTED WAS HOW MY BROTHER, HE SOUNDS LOUD, HE SOUNDS GRIFF, BUT HE IS A KITTEN.
AND HE HAS HAD SOME, SOME PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE OF HOW HE SOUNDS.
[01:20:01]
THEY ARE PRONE TO FEAR, THEY RESPOND OUT OF FEAR AND THAT FEAR IS VIOLENT.AND THAT FEAR IS BASED IN SUPREMACY FROM BEING ENTIRELY HONEST.
AND SO I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO, IF WE CAN CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR SYSTEMS MORE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CULTURAL COMPETENCE, I DON'T THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY THAT.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, IF YOU WATCH THAT PARTICULAR MEETING, BUT I'D LOVE TO JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT ABOUT HOW SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST SOUND LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE NOT A THREAT, BUT THEY SOUND LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THEY HAVE THIS LIKE COMPOUND TRAUMA THAT HAPPENS AS A RESULT OF JUST HOW THEY SOUND.
AND BECAUSE IF I'M BEING ENTIRELY HONEST BECAUSE OF HOW THEY LOOK, AND SOME PEOPLE THINK THOSE PEOPLE LOOK SCARY AND THAT OFTENTIMES PRESENTS ITSELF SO MUCH MORE NEGATIVELY FOR BLACK MEN THAN IT DOES ANY OTHER PORTION OF THE POPULATION.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL ARE TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
I'D LOVE VERY MUCH TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION AND FIGURE OUT NOT ONLY LIKE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM, WHAT IS THE ROOT OF THAT? AND THEN HOW DO WE COMBAT IT THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS? AND SO NOT JUST FROM THE THERAPEUTIC COMPONENT THAT YOU'RE MAKING REFERENCE TO, HOW DO WE SAY THERE ARE SYSTEMS THAT COMPOUND TRAUMA FOR PEOPLE FOR LITERALLY NO REASON OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE? AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
THAT'S A MAJOR PART OF Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATIONS.
SO TALKING ABOUT VETERANS SPECIFICALLY IS SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AROUND.
I THINK THERE ARE BLACK MEN WHO WERE VETERANS ARE NOT GETTING THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A LACK OF SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO REALLY GET IT NUMBER ONE, BUT THEN THERE'S A LACK OF SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO FROM A CULTURAL COMPETENCE PERSPECTIVE REALLY GET IT.
AND SO I LIKE VERY MUCH TO KNOW HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THAT EFFORT SO MUCH TOO.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY HAD CHAMBERS, SO YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATION.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CAPACITY BUILDING, IN WHICH CASE, WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS THERE? HOW DO WE BUILD MORE CAPACITY FOR PEOPLE WHO GET IT FROM VETERANS AND GET IT FOR BLACK VETERANS, BLACK MEN VETERANS? AND I THINK THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER CONVERSATION AND YOU CAN TELL ME IF YOU THINK I'M OFF BASE THERE, BUT I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT BUILDING UP OUR CAPACITY THERE, THEN ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES.
ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE A BIG QUESTION AROUND ALTERNATIVE THERAPEUTIC, UM, APPROACHES.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE DID, WE JUST DID THIS THING WITH EXPANDED COMPASSIONATE USE FOR THC.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE SAYING, HEY, WE APPRECIATE THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE LIKE FOR, YOU KNOW, VERY OBSCURE EPILEPTIC DISORDERS THAT WE WERE DOING COMPASSIONATE USE FOR IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
AND SO I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO EXPAND THE CONVERSATION AROUND THC AND PSILOCYBIN AND THINGS THAT THERAPIES THAT ARE WORKING FOR PEOPLE.
BUT BECAUSE FROM A LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE JUST NOT THERE YET.
I LIKE VERY MUCH TO, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, AS THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMES INTO PLAY, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES? AND SO I HOPE THAT THAT'S ON THE TABLE AS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD DISCUSS FURTHER.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ALL OF YOUR SUGGESTIONS INTO PLAY.
WE'RE STILL IN DEVELOPMENT STAGE, WE'RE STILL ADDING PARTNERS.
AND SO MY HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE LISTENING TO US THAT CAN PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES WILL COME FORWARD AND YOU'RE ON A SCENARIO EFFORT BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE ALL OF US TOGETHER IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
BUT YES, EVERYTHING YOU JUST MENTIONED, WE WILL CERTAINLY, UH, TAKE IT INTO ADVISEMENT, UH, VETERANS.
UM, WE HAVE A FAMILY OF VETERANS, SO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT NEED AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU DISCUSSED.
I APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, UM, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON, I OBVIOUSLY LOOK LIKE I LOOK AND I HAVE BROTHERS, SO YEAH, THANK YOU.
AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S EFFORT AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, I'M NOT GOING TO HANG MY HAT ON BEING A CHAMPION.
I THINK THERE ARE COLLEAGUES THAT I HAVE THAT ARE JUST SO MUCH MORE WELL-INFORMED THAT WILL BE ABLE TO HELP ME HELP.
AND I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF US LOCKING ARMS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE MAKE THIS A PRIORITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS PART.
AND STEPHANIE HAGAN, SHE'S A, AN ADVOCATE FOR WHAT WE DO.
IT WAS LIKE THE UBIQUITOUS YOU I'M TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SHANNON, I'M TALKING ABOUT SEVEN, LIKE ALL Y'ALL.
SO THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD HAVE SAID.
I'M SAID YOU, I MEAN, ALL THE UP, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BRINGING
[01:25:01]
THIS FORWARD, I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO RECOGNIZE BOTH OF A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE AND THEN AS A POLICYMAKER PERSPECTIVE, THAT THIS IS CRITICAL.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT FORWARD AND I APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP YOU OUT BE SUCCESSFUL AND HELP ON US, HELP PEOPLE.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S THE POINT, RIGHT? SO THANK YOU.
OH, MR. WALLACE, FEW MORE QUESTIONS FROM OUR CHAIR.
TOBO HAD TO STEP OUT FOR A MOMENT.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND FOR SHARING ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY CRITICAL THAT WE HAVE CULTURALLY COMPETENT HEALTHCARE, ESPECIALLY HERE IN AUSTIN, KNOWING THE DISPARATE HEALTH OUTCOMES THAT WE HAVE.
AND CERTAINLY WE KNOW THAT AUSTIN, I TOO LIVE EAST OF 35, HAVE A LIFE EXPECTANCY.
THAT'S AT LEAST 10 YEARS LESS THAN AUSTINITES WHO LIVE WEST.
AND, UH, AND WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN HERE, KNOWING THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS HAVE A 7% OR NO, NO, HAVE SEVEN YEARS LESS LIFE EXPECTANCY, UM, AS WELL AS DISPROPORTIONATE HEALTH OUTCOMES WITH STROKE AND HEART DISEASE.
AND, UM, IT'S EXTREMELY CRITICAL THAT WE'RE DOING MORE.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW IS YOUR VISION, UM, WITH THIS CLINIC, IS IT A BRICK AND MORTAR CLINIC THAT YOU'RE ENVISIONING THAT WOULD BE, UH, A RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GO IN-PERSON TO SEEK HEALTHCARE SERVICES? YEAH, WE ALREADY HAVE SPACE LEAST, UH, FOR THE CLINIC IT'S LOCATED AT 66 33 HIGHWAY TWO 90 EAST.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN ABOUT 3,500 SQUARE FEET AND WE HAVE A SPACE FOR EXAM ROOMS FOR OFFICES OR CONFERENCES, SO WE ALREADY HAVE THE SPACE.
AND SO RIGHT NOW, UM, WITH THIS MODEL, WHAT PHASE ARE YOU IN? IS IT BRINGING ON ADDITIONAL PARTNERS? YES.
AND, AND AS WE TALKED TO THE PARTNERS, UH, EARLY ON, THEY WILL MOST LIKELY STAGGER THEIR TIMES UNTIL WE BUILD UP TO FULL CAPACITY, BUT I EXPECT WE WOULD HAVE SERVICES EVERY DAY.
NOW THERE MAY BE DIFFERENT PARTNERS BECAUSE I GAVE YOU A WHOLE LIST OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED SCHOOL IN NURSING, FOR INSTANCE, UM, THEY'LL PROBABLY BE THERE TWO OR THREE DAYS A WEEK.
AND THEN AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, THE MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA WORK THROUGH A CALENDAR SO THAT THAT'S MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
SO EVERY DAY YOU CAN SEE WHAT SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED.
AND SO WHEN, UM, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU ENVISIONING AS A TARGET DATE TO, THEY'RE GOING TO BE GAIN OFFERING SERVICES ON MARK SECOND.
SO I'M JUST A FEW WEEKS, RIGHT.
A WEEK AFTER WE DO OUR OPEN HOUSE.
WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, GOOD DEAL.
I APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US TODAY, SHARING ABOUT, UM, THIS MODEL ABOUT THE AFRICAN-AMERICANS MA MEN'S HEALTH CLINIC.
YOU CAN CERTAINLY COUNT ON ME AS A SUPPORTER.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DOING WHAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE AND REALLY THIS CRITICAL SERVICE.
AND SO, UH, PLEASE KEEP ME POSTED IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO BE OF SERVICE.
WELL, WE WILL THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, I HAD ONE AND THEN I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON DOES AS WELL.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR REALLY, FOR SUCH A CONCISE, BUT GREAT OVERVIEW.
YOU TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEDICAL PARTNERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH PARTNERS, AND I WONDERED, I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THOSE ON YOUR PRESENTATION.
DO YOU HAVE A WEBSITE THAT THE PUBLIC CAN GO TO AND AS SOME OF THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU OFFERED US ON THAT, ON THAT WEBSITE? YEAH, WE DO HAVE A EXISTING WEBSITE, BUT IT'S BEING REWORKED.
SO I WOULD WAIT UNTIL THE 24TH ON OUR OPEN HOUSE AND IT WILL BE UPDATED BECAUSE, UH, WE ADD PARTNERS WEEKLY PEOPLE WHEN THEY LEARN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO AS FAR AS OUR CLINICAL PARTNERS, UH, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY CARE, BUT AUSTIN REGIONAL CLINICS, UH, PEOPLE'S CLINIC WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH ANYBODY AND, UH, THAT PROVIDE CLINICAL CARE, UH, HOSPITAL SYSTEMS. UH, WE, UH, I KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A PARTNER FOR REFERRAL FOR SPECIALTY CARE.
SO ALL OF THOSE ARE STILL BEING WORKED OUT AND CONFIRMED.
WELL, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THIS IMPORTANT WORK AND FOR COMING AND SHARING WITH US ABOUT IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER MEDICINE.
I'M ONLY GOING TO FOLLOW UP BECAUSE I RAISED MY HAND, BUT YOU ALREADY ASKED THE QUESTION THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR RECENTLY FEATURED ON CLEAR EYE, UM, JERICA THOMAS HOCKADAY, UM, OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING TO BUILD PEOPLE TO DO THIS WORK.
I JUST WONDER IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR US TO MAKE A DISTINCT PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM TO WORK SPECIFICALLY IN THIS SPACE.
AND SO I'D LIKE VERY MUCH, UM, MR. WALLACE FOR US TO HAVE THAT BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION AS WELL IN TERMS OF PARTNERSHIPS.
AND WE HAVE MADE OUR SPACE AVAILABLE PREVIOUSLY, UH, FOR SUMMER HER EVENTS.
[01:30:01]
UM, AND WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE HAVING CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE WE'RE INTERESTED IN THE, UH, JOB, UH, TRAINING THAT COULD COME ALONG WITH ALL OF THIS.AND SO THIS WILL BE A RESOURCE CENTER IT'S IT IT'LL PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES, BUT IT ALSO GO BEYOND THAT.
AND SO APPRECIATE THAT YOU POINTED THAT OUT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A PART OF IT, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WRAPAROUND.
SO AS WE TALK, HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOMELESSNESS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WRAP AROUND SERVICES AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE TALK ABOUT ORGANIC.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ALL ENCOMPASSING, THAT IT'S ORGANIC.
I THINK ALL OF THE THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN, BUT FROM A CULTURAL COMPETENCE PERSPECTIVE, HAVING AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THAT, THAT SPECIFICALLY HAS LIKE 90% OF THEIR STUDENT POPULATION ARE BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS.
AND I THINK GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPECIFICALLY TRAIN PEOPLE FOR THIS, VERY, WHAT I CONSIDER A SPECIALIZED SERVICE WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY AT YOU.
YOU PROBABLY HEARD, WE TALKED ABOUT CAPACITY BUILDING TWICE TODAY DURING THE TWO DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS.
SO I THINK WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING EVERY AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD CAPACITY AND TO TRAIN PEOPLE, TO DO JOBS THAT PAY WELL AND, YOU KNOW, OFFER PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND SERVICE.
AND SO I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE.
I THINK Y'ALL ARE ONTO SOMETHING AND I THINK IT'S WELL OVERDUE.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, MR. WALLACE.
SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I GUESS WE'RE WRAPPED.
UM, COLLEAGUES, I THINK THAT IS THE LAST ITEM THAT WE CAN TAKE UP HERE TODAY.
SO WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN AND ONE THING IN THE NEXT WEEKS THAT I'D LIKE TO, TO I'D LIKE YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT IS THE FREQUENCY OF OUR MEETINGS.
I KNOW WE ALL HAVE EXTREMELY BUSY SCHEDULES AND WE SEEM TO, WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE IDENTIFYING TIMES WHEN ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES WHO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE CAN ATTEND, CAN ATTEND.
SO WE MAY CONSIDER GOING BACK TO, AND EVERY OTHER MONTH, JUST TO MAKE, UM, TO HAVE THE MOST EFFECTIVE PLAN FOR OUR, INCLUDING FOR OUR PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF AND OUR HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY STAFF AND THE OTHERS WHO ARE ATTENDING, WE MAY, WE MAY FIND THAT EVERY OTHER MONTH MAKES BETTER SENSE.
SO LET'S BE IN CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 11:02 PM.